Three times is a charm as the Town of Drumheller was finally successful in their grant for an administrative intern.
The Town had its application for a grant under the Municipal Internship Component of the Regional Collaboration Program approved. This means in the new year the Town will be able to host an intern under the Municipal Internship Program for Administrators.
“We did your best to put together an application they couldn’t turn down and we are very pleased it has been approved,” said Drumheller CAO Ray Romanetz. “We are going to mentor the individual, but at the same time that individual is going to work for us, and do things that might not usually get done.”
The Municipal Internship Program was established in 2002. Its intention is to recruit and train graduates to be administrators to fill those roles in municipalities. According to the municipal affairs website in 2010, a survey completed by 262 municipal CAOs indicated that 55 per cent would most likely leave the position in the next 10 years.
Drumheller too is taking a look at its succession plan as many in senior positions at the Town are looking towards the end of their career.
“We have a number of staff that may be leaving, even within five years and we have ongoing discussions regarding that and the key thing is to look into the future, identify the approximate timelines and make some decisions. Logically what we would like to do is train them internally. Whether or not that works, time will tell. We have a succession plan in place, we work it, we discuss it, but a lot of that is based on a person being available that has the qualifications.
“In a large organization it becomes a lot easier if you have a lot of professional people with specific talents. That may not be the case in Drumheller and that’s why you go out and find someone who has the skills in the short term and try to make arrangements from there.”
He says this internship could help with their succession planning.
“We are hoping that if we get the right candidate, through mentoring and if they have the skills and an interest in the community, hopefully we can look at them as being a part of our overall succession planning,” said Romanetz. “There are some positions that haven’t been filled and at times there are changes within an organization, so if we can use their assistance to move forward and at the same time develop them so they can fill a role down the road as part of the municipality, that is something we want to look at.”
The Town received $43,000 to implement the program for one year. The internship program at its pilot phase worked with five municipalities. Today there are 12 internship programs available. Starland County took advantage of the program, and the Palliser Regional Planning Commission took advantage of a similar program for planners.
“If things work out, we have the ability to look at allowing for money within our budget to make that (extend or hire) happen as well,” he said.
“We are appreciative of what municipal affairs is doing, that they recognize that. We have a lot of capable people working in the municipal field but whether it be five years or 10 years, a good number will be retiring and we need to have succession plans in place, and the province recognizes that.”